1978 - The famous Realistic Mach One high-power handling speakers ■ Three-way floor system with massive 15" woofer for thrilling bass down to 20 Hz. ■ A real "heavyweight" among speakers, famous for making theatre-type sound affordable ■ Acoustic suspension, large-excursion woofer has an effective cone radiating area of over 100 square inches. ■ Four layer woofer voice coil is wound on a heavy-duty brass form ■ Special multicell midrange horn for wide dispersion and "live" presence ■ Aluminum-coil tweeter horn delivers crisp and clean highs up to 25,000 Hz ■ Separate calibrated treble and midrange L-pad controls for precise adjustment of response to suit room acoustics ■ Superior transient response, lab-tested and proven, preserves the punch of modern musical material ■ Power handling capacity of over 100 watts peak program ■ Frequency response: 20-25,000 Hz ■ Impedance: 8 ohms ■ Luxurious oiled walnut veneer enclosure.

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Radio Shack has been offering kits to build devices like amplifiers, receivers and radios since the company started publishing catalogs in 1939 (and most likely even earlier).  But it wasn't until the late 1950s that Radio Shack offered, what was then called, Novice Kits (shown above). A decade later, the more popular Science Fair Electronic Kits were introduced.

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1994 - Radio Shack introduces
"The Radio Shack Repair Shop"
They say, "Put It In Our Hands For Guaranteed Major Brand Repairs."
Tandy - Toshiba - Pioneer - Epson - Sony - Kenwood - Yamaha - Audiovox - Casio - Sansui - Bose - Memorex - Kodak - Sylvania and more

1994 Radio Shack Repair Shop Brochure
 VIEWING FORMAT:
 LARGE    -    SMALL 

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For the best viewing experience, this archive of RadioShack catalogs can be viewed
in three formats: LARGE or SMALL (in Adobe Flash), or HTML (non-Flash). 
Also see Instruction Manual.

  Just For Fun
   VIEWING FORMAT:  LARGE   -   SMALL

When you have more Radio Shack "stuff" to display, but don't know where to put it, you put in a book called, "Just For Fun".  Includes the Radio Shack Free Battery of the Month Club.

Radio Shack Advertisements
VIEWING FORMAT:  LARGE   -   SMALL   -   HTML

Radio Shack has been in business for almost 90 years.  Throughout this time, Radio Shack advertised its products in countless publications. See some of those advertisements in this book.

Most of the 1940s through 1950s ads were from QST Magazine - an amateur radio publication.  Note the year of the ad (if known) on top of each page.

Radio Shack Electronics Digest 

Published in 1967, (shown left) is Radio Shack's first (Vol. 1, No 1) Electronics Digest magazine. This hard-to-find publication was "The Electronics Magazine for Home and School" :

  ■  Informational
  ■  Educational
  ■  Practical

It contained science & electronic projects, educational & historical information, info about phones & conference calling, the future of electronics & more.

(Vol. 1, No 1  July - Aug. 1967 )  VIEWING FORMAT:  LARGE   -   SMALL   -   HTML
(Vol. 1, No 2  Sept - Oct. 1967 )  VIEWING FORMAT:  LARGE   -   SMALL   -   HTML

RADIO SHACK SCANNER MANUALS
Access  the Radio Shack scanner support pages Radio Shack and RealisticTM Comp, DX, HTX, and PRO Series scanners. Included are specifications, care & maintenance, schematics, general scanning guides and user manuals.

TANDY COMPUTER "WHIZ KIDS" COMIC BOOKS

From 1982 to 1991, Radio Shack produced a series of comic books called, Whiz Kids.  Published by Archie Comics, they featured kids involved in exciting adventures, and taught kids about science, computer basics, history & development of computers, and illustrated some of the practical uses of computers in everyday life. The books revolved around Tandy Computers and Radio Shack products.

Eight issues in all are known to have been published.  All of which are for display on this site. This promotional and educational publication was a distributed as a free giveaway to students, teachers, schools, and persons interested in science topics, "Compliments of Radio Shack".

Take a look at the  Tandy Computer Whiz Kids Comics.

THE SCIENCE FAIR
"STORY OF ELECTRONICS" and
"HISTORY OF ELECTRONICS"
COMIC BOOKS

The Science Fair "Story of Electronics...
The Discovery That Changed The World."  Within these colorful comic books, a teacher instructs her students on the history of science, giving lessons on astronomy, space travel, electricity, electronics, energy, computers, and new developments in electronics. These free giveaway, educational comic books, were published by Radio Shack for elementary school students and helped Tandy/Radio Shack introduce their brand to the consumers of tomorrow.

Take a look at the Radio Shack Comic Books.

1000th Store Commemorative Token
This token was specially minted in bronze for Allied Radio Shack by the Franklin Mint to celebrate their 1000th store opening on July 8, 1971 in Garden Grove, CA.

In addition, over 10,000 customers (only 10 per store) won replicas in a drawing in July 1971. This coin entitled the bearer to unlimited 10% discounts on Radio Shack items throughout the year.  Charles Tandy prominently shown on the front.

Watch a Movie. Get $1 Off.

In 1976, Radio Shack teamed with Paramount Studios to promote Radio Shack's Realistic line of CB radios.

If you saw the movie "Citizens Band" at your local theater, you would receive a free "BONUS DOLLAR" (made of aluminum) that could be used on any Radio Shack product priced at $1 or more. The offer expired July 31, 1977.

RADIO SHACK PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAMS

Through the years, RadioShack has been actively involved in many public service programs, including a partnership with the National Crime Prevention Council and the National Sheriff's Association.
 

Take a look at some of the  RadioShack Public Service Pamphlets.

Radio Shack offers Official Bicentennial Album

(Click RadioShack advertisement above to enlarge.)

In 1976, the nationwide Radio Shack store chain was the exclusive distributor of "Broad Stripes, Bright Stars", a two record stereo album of military music authorized by a special act of Congress and featuring all four USA military bands.  Only 100,000 copies of the album were produced.

According to J. William Middendorf II, Secretary of the Navy, "Proceeds from sales are expected to recover costs of production and distribution, resulting in a project at no additional expense to our taxpayers."

The album was produced by the U.S. Navy for the Department of Defense and features the U.S. Army Band and Chorus, the U.S. Navy Band and Sea Chanters, the U.S. Marine Band and the U.S. Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants.  These great musical organizations appear together in this album as they have in events of American history.

Click on the links below to hear excerpts from the album:
ALBUM 1, SIDE 1
Four Ruffles & Hail To The Chief
The Star Spangled Banner
Yankee Doodle / White Cockade / The World Turned Upside Down
Chester
Battle Of Trenton
Hail Columbia

ALBUM 1, SIDE 2
The Battle Cry of Freedom
Long Time Ago
Shenandoah
Washington Grays
The Battle Hymn of the Republic

ALBUM 2, SIDE 1
National Emblem March
Americans We
The Army Goes Rolling Along
Eternal Father (The Navy Hymn)
The Marines Hymn
Over There / You're A Grand Old Flag / Yankee Doodle Boy
The Stars & Stripes Forever

ALBUM 2, SIDE 2
God Bless America
Anchors Aweigh
The Air Force Song
Semper Paratus
Strike Up The Band
America The Beautiful

  "Years of Service" Pins
   These are Tandy Corporation
   and RadioShack employee
   "Years of Service" pins in 10K gold.

  1-  5 yr. Tandy Corp. Pin
  1-10 yr. Tandy Corp. Pin with sapphire
               & amethyst
  1-10 yr. Radio Shack Pin with ruby

  This Radio Shack promotional mini-screwdriver
  was about the size of a key and made to affix
  to a key chain.  (front & back side shown)

A Book About The Man
Published in 1993, and written by Irvin Farman, the book "Tandy's Money Machine" is a bibliography of Charles D. Tandy.

This book depicts how Charles Tandy built Radio Shack into the World's Largest Electronics Chain.

You can find this book at larger book stores or searching the web.  You can also read a little more about Tandy's life in this article.